UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19247, 26 February 1925, Page 5

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING (Per Press Association.) ROTORUA, Feb. 25. The annual meeting of the United Press Association was held to-day. The following were present: Messrs P. Selig (Christchurch Press) chairman, AV. C. Leys (Auckland Star), IT. Horton (N.Z. Herald), L. Blundell (Evening Post), G. 11. Dixon (N.Z. Times), C. W. Parle (The Dominion), A. G. Henderson (Lyttelton Times), E. C. Hine and Sir Geo. Fenwick (Otago Daily Times), AV. I Dinwiddie (Hawke’s Bay Herald), ’l'. M. Geddis (Napier Telegraph), R. B. Bell (Timaru Post, and Ashburton Guardian). L. C. A r oung (“Wanganui Chronicle’’), H. TT. Palmer .Tones (AVunganui Herald). R. J. Gilmour (Southland Times), F. Abbey .Tones (Southland News and Oamaru Mail), AV. C. Weston (Taranaki Herald). T. C. Li~t (Taranaki News), A. L. Muir (Poverty Bay Herald), R. I*. Furness (MarlI borough Press), A. MeNicol (DanneI virke News). P. Bond (Hawera Star), | AV. Aitkin (Westport News), Mrs E. 1 L. T'irani (Feilding Star), J. Coombe ICManawatu Standard), R. TI. Billons (Manawatu Daily Timos'), AV. C. AVhitlock (Hawke’s Bay Tribune), A. E. Manning (Waikato Times), A. E. Copping (Stratford Post), H. AV. Crawford (Northern Advocate), AV. H. Atack (manager). The following were also present by courtesy: Messrs Henry Brett (Auckland Star), Mrs Page (Hawera Star), AV. Easton (Otago Daily Timos), Hester (Christchurch Press), Blundell (Evening Post), T. Mills (Feilding Star), ,T. J. Craig (To Kniti Chronicle) and Rees-. Tones (“Wanganui Chronicle’’) The annual report made reference to the death of several old members, in the persons of the Hon. G. Carson, Messrs IT. AL Duignn and T. P. Williams. The cable service had again shown an increased total, the number of original words supplied being not far short of a million. It continued to elicit high praise from overseas visitors. To the New Zealand public the most interesting section was probably the tour of the All Blacks. The agreement with the Australian Press Assocation had been extended for a short term of eight months from December 31 next. In the supply of news the. Association had been requested to assist the movement, to eliminate the use of the word Australasia, and the directors wore in favour of doing so. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the, report and balance-sheet, made reference to the foresight of the founders of the association, two of whom (Sir Geo. Fenv ick and Mr H. Brett) were present th:l day. They were the only two left ojf the original founders. The association were indebted for the establishment of the cable service, which bold policy had been enlarged till New Zealand now possessed a service that had repeatedly been alluded to in highly complimentary terms by visitors from abroad, men whose opinion was worth having. One had only to travel to learn that New Zealand’s cable news could rightly be termed the most comprehensive presentation day by day of the world’s events to be found in any part of the Globe. The reading public of this Dominion was highly favoured in that respect, and he thought this was generally recognised. I.t had recently been claimed in America that nowhere else was to be found a similar co-operative distributing agency such as theirs, but they evidently spoke without knowledge of the existence of the New Zealand Association. Speaking of the supply of nows in future, he said wireless would before long have to To taken into consideration. The possibilities of the beam system appeared to be enormous. One of the representatives of the Marconi Company recently overshadowed a reduction of thirty per cent, below existing cable rates, and possibly more. It was also likely that in no great time there would be regular wireless telephone communication between Britain and the Dominions. He mentioned that the assistance of the association bad been solicited by the Associated Chamber of Commerce in eliminating the use of the world “Australasia,’’ and substituting some such phrase as New Zealand and Australia. In this the association concurred, and he strongly recommended it to all members. He referred at some length to, and gave some instances of, the ignorance displayed in London respecting this Dominion, which was playing such an important part in. the affairs of the Empire. The motion was carried, and Sir Geo. Fenwick and Mr S. C. Smith were reelected directors. Mr O. G. Kember was appointed auditor. Dunedin was unanimously chosen for the next place of meeting. The meeting closed with a special vote of thanks to the staff for the way it had handled the cables reporting the All Blacks’ tour and to the Government and the Home officials for the attention paid to members of the conference. After the conclusion of the business, Mr H. Brett, who met with a hearty welcome, gave a short address to members. At a subsequent meeting of directors Mr S. C. Smith, of the Dunedin Star, was elected chairman.